Horizontal pianoforte



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm m E W A A DALE HORIZONTAL PLANOFORTE Filed Feb. 25, 1935 A. A. DALE HORIZONTAL PIANOFORTE Filed Feb. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a -T' lm n...

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llmll mvsuma 42 4a, r"? m Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HORIZONTAL PIANOFORTE Application February 25, 1935, Serial No. 7,971 In Great Britain March 12, 1934 20 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to horizontal pianofortes and has for one of its objects to provide a construction which can be cheaply made, will occupy a minimum of floor space and is of good tone.

According to the invention, there is provided a horizontal pianoforte in which the soundingboard is triangular, the keyboard runs along one of the sides thereof, and of the other two sides, one is free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, and the other is fixed to a straight length of fillet which is in turn fixed to a straight length of case, and the whole or substantially the whole of the soundingboard bars are so arranged on the soundingboard as to be received at their ends by supports at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle. The triangular shape of the sounding-board according to the present invention, since it permits one of the sides to be fixed to a straight length of fillet and thereby to a straight length of case, enables important advantages to be attained in that the said straight portions of the fillet and case themselves have resonating properties which are utilized. Heretofore this portion of the case has been of curved formation and by reason of this shape is incapable of adding to the sounding-board those resonating properties supplied by the straight length employed according to the present invention.

This is true also of a previously proposed construction in which the lid of a grand piano was to be made of substantially triangular contour said lid being in the shape of a rightangled triangle with a curved hypotenuse.

The sounding-board may be a perfect triangle or, in some circumstances, it may be preferred to have the angle of the triangle opposite to the said free side slightly truncated and the short length of sounding-board at the truncation also left free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support.

In carrying out the present invention the general direction of the length of the portion or portions of the contour of the soundingboard left free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support may be made to approximate to the general direction of the length of the strings of the pianoforte. With a soundingboard of wood, the sounding-board bars may be so arranged that the direction of their length obliquely intersects the direction of the length of the grain of the sounding-board and the obliquity of the intersection and the closeness of adjacent bars may be such that each bar intersects grain lines also intersected by the adjacent bar. The general direction of the length of the grain of thesounding-board may approximate to the general direction of the 5 length of the strings of the pianoforte.

In a preferred construction of pianoforte according to the present invention, the soundingboard is triangular with two sides at a right angle or substantially a right-angle to each 10 other and the third side straight, the base strings are parallel (or substantially parallel) and adjacent to one of the righ-angle sides which is free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, the key-board runs 15 along the other right-angle side, and the third side is fixed to a straight length of case. In an alternative construction the base strings are parallel (or substantially parallel) to the hypotenuse of the triangle, the key-board being 20 along one of the right-angle sides and having the other right-angle side extending rearwardly from its right-hand end.

A further construction according to the invention is one in which the sounding-board is of wood and is triangular with the key-board along one of the sides thereof and the strings, and the grain lines of the wood in the sounding-board, extending rearwardly from the keyboard side to one of the other sides of the triangle which is straight and which lies at an acute angle to the key-board side. Thus, the grain lines in the sounding-board will be in a graded series corresponding approximately in length to the vibration or speaking lengths 35 of the graded series of strings, and each string will be located close to a grain line of corresponding length. This construction will be found to produce a pianoforte of very fine tone.

According to another feature of the invention, there is provided a horizontal pianoforte in which the case, as viewed in plan, is triangular and has the key-board along one side, the base strings parallel (or substantially parallel) and adjacent to a second side and the hitch pins along the third side which is straight.

For a more complete understanding of the invention there will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accomr0 panying drawings, certain constructional forms of pianoforte according to the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

In these drawings Figure l is a plan of a pianoforte according to the present invention with the lid removed;

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but with the iron frame also removed;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows 3 but with a portion of one side wall removed; in this figure the lid or top and it co-operating parts are shown in chain lines;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line l -ii of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a plan view on a scale smaller than that of the preceding figures showing the position of the pianoforte in the corner of a room;

Figure '7 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 but on a smaller scale and showing a modified construction;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 7 but on a scale larger than that of Figure 7, and

Figures 9 and if: views corresponding to Figure 7 of other modified constructions.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 5, the iron frame is indicated at 29, the bridge at it, the sounding-board at 22, the strings at 23 with their hitch pins at 233% and the underframe at The case comprises three principal walls 25, 2s and 2?, each of which is straight. The case is of the shape of a right-angled triangle with the acute angles truncated. and closed by short pieces of case 23 and H. Aiiixed to certain of the walls of the case and a part of the frame, all round the contour of the sounding-board 22 is a fillet 3; which constitutes the support for the soundingboard. The sounding-board bars are shown at 3!. They are arranged parallel to each other and are housed in notches formed in the fillet 35. The sounding-board 22 is not afxed to the fillet 353 all the way round its contour. A free portion is left at the bass side between the points 32 and 33, and there isfalso a short free portion on the treble side between the points lid and 35. Figure 5 shows the way in which the fillet 38 is out back between the points 32 and It is similarly out back at the position 36 (see Figure 2). The edge 3? of the sounding-board 22 is also cut back between the points 32 and 33 so as to avoid contact with the wall 26 of the case. The advantage of having one or more portions of the sounding-board free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support is that the resonating properties of the sounding-board will be greatly enhanced and the tone of the instrument consequently improved.

The direction of the grain of the wood in the sounding-board 22 is indicated by the lines and it will be seen that these lines obliquely intersect the sounding-board bars 3|. Preferably the obliquity of the intersection and the closeness of adjacent bars are such that each bar 3! intersects grain lines also intersected by the adjacent bar. The grain lines are those seen on the surface of a board cut longitudinally of the tree and the lines are formed by the difference in the appearance of the spring and autumn growths. The vibrations are transmit ted longitudinally along the grain lines, it will, therefore, be appreciated that with the particular arrangement of the obliquity and the closeness of the bars just specified the vibrations may be assumed to travel mainly in a zigzag path across the sounding-board due to the co-operation of the grain lines of the sounding-board and the grain in the bars which, of course, lies parallel to the direction of the length of the bars. This results in imparting to the instrument long resonance.

The lid or top is intended in this construction to be hinged to the wall 2'! of the case whereby when it is raised it will reflect the sound waves very effectively. In the construction illustrated the angle between the walls 25 and 27 is about 42. A convenient small instrument having this said angle, has the keyboard side about 51 inches long and-the other right-angle side about 48 inches long. If new this instrument is placed in a corner of a room, as indicated in Figure 6, it will be found that the floor space occupied by the instrument and by the person playing it will be less than that occupied when an upright pianoforte is in question.

It will be appreciated that the triangular shape has the advantage of permitting straight timber with the grain running along the length thereof to be employed in all parts. Timber from conifers can be used for the case and for the fillet 3t and the tone will be transmitted to all parts thereof.

A comparison of Figures 1 and 2 shows that it is possible to have the grain lines 38 .in the sounding-board in a graded series corresponding approximately in length to the vibration or speaking lengths of the graded series of strings. That is to say, the lengths oi". the grain lines measured from the keyboard side to the hypo tenuse oi the sounding-board can be approximately the same as the free lengths of the strings extending from the bridge 2% towards the keyboard. Further, each string and its corresponding grain line can be close to one another so that there will be a substantial sympathetic vibration of the grain lines supplementing the vibrations transmitted through the bridge 2i. In this way the advantages mentioned above will be attained.

The pianoforte according to the present invention can be made in any desired size from, say, a full concert grand pianoforte down to a small instrument as mentioned above, and any suitable angles may be chosen for the triangular formation according to circumstances. The triangular shape of itself enables increased string length to be obtained as compared with an orthodox grand piancforte or baby grand pianoforte. If it is desired to obtain still longer strings, the

arrangements shown in Figures 7 to 16 may be employed. In the construction shown in Figure '7 the wall is considerably longer than the wall G6. This enables a very long free edge to be left on the sounding-board if desired beside the wall 39. In some cases, particularly with large pianofortes, it be advantageous to stiffen the edge by a flange d! or other reinforcing member extending along it. This flange s1 could be free from contact with the case except possibly at its ends.

Figure 9 shows another construction in which long bass strings can readily be obtained and a long free edge for the sounding-board if desired. In this constru tion the key-board wall 42 has the other right-angle wall 43 at its right-hand end. There may be a long free edge to the sounding-board adjacent to the wall ts and a further free portion is indicated between the points as and as along the wall 43. The construction shown in this figure will entail cranking of parts of the action and in view of this may not be found so advantageous as the other constructions.

The construction shown in Figure 10 is very similar to that shown in Figure 7 except that the angle between the key-board wall 41 and the Wall 48 on its left is an obtuse angle.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

I claim:-

1. In a horizontal pianoforte, a soundingboard support, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight, means for mounting the sounding-board on said support so that the key-board runs along one of the sides of the sounding-board and so that another side of the latter is free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

2. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with one of its sides substantially parallel to the length of the key-board and a second side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said third side of the triangle and soundingboard bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said soundingboard bar supports.

3. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight and having one of its angles slightly truncated, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon so as to have the keyboard running along one of its sides which is adjacent to the said truncated angle and to have the side opposite to the said truncated angle and the short length of sounding-board at the truncation left free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said third side of the triangle and soundingboard bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said soundingboard bar supports.

4. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with one of its sides disposed substantially parallel to the length of the key-board, and with a. second side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, the general direction of the length or" which second side approximates to the general direction of the length of the pianoforte strings, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said third side of the triangle and soundingboard bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at theirends by said. soundingboard bar supports.

5. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular 5 truncation also left free to vibrate without con- 15 tact with the sounding-board support, with the general direction of the length of the free portion at the truncation and of the said second side approximating to the general direction of the length of the pianoforte strings, a straight 20 length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed'thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said third side of the triangle and sounding-board 26 bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

6. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board of wood having all its sides 30 straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with the key-board running along one of its sides and with another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board "side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and soundingboard bars having their ends received by said sounding-board bar supports and so arranged on the sounding-board that the direction of their length obliquely intersects the direction of the length of the grain of the sounding-board.

'7. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board of wood having all its sides straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with the key-board running along one of its sides and with another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and soundingboard bars having their ends received by said sounding-board bar supports and so arranged on the sounding-board that the direction of theirlength obliquely intersects the direction of the length of the grain of the sounding-board, and so that the obliquity of the intersection and the closeness of adjacent bars are such that each bar intersects grain lines also intersected by the adjacent bar.

8. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board of wood having all its sides straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon so as to free side approximates to the general direction 76 of the length of the pianoforte strings, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and soundingboard bars received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports and so arranged on the sounding-board that the direction of their length obliquely intersects the direction of the length of the grain of the sounding-board.

9. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board of wood, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with the keyboard running along one of its sides and with another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, the general direction of the length of the grain of which sounding-board approximates to the general direction of the length of the pianoforte strings,'a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the soundingboard, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

10. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board of wood, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon so as to have the key-board running along one of its sides and to have another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, the general direction of the length of the grain of which sounding-board approximates to the general direction of the length of the pianoforte strings, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and sounding-board bars received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports and so arranged on the soundingboard that the direction of their length obliquely intersects the direction of the length of the grain of the sounding-board.

11. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board having two straight sides at substantially a right-angle to each other and the third side straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with one of its right-angle sides left free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings so that the bass strings are substantially parallel to and adjacent to the said free right-angle side of the sounding-board a key-board running along the other right-angle side of the sounding-board, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the soundingboard, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said third side or" the triangle, and soundingbcard bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said soundingboard bar supports.

12. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board having two straight sides substantially at a right-angle to each other and the third side straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with its hypoteneuse left free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings so that the bass strings are substantially parallel to and adjacent to the hypoteneuse of the sounding-board, a key-board running along 5 that one of the right-angle sides of the sounding-board which has the other right-angle side extending rearwardly from its right-hand end, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is 10 fixed the said other right-angle side of the sounding-beard, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and said other right-angle side of the triangle and soundingboard bars so arranged on the sounding-board 13 as to be received at their ends by said soundingboard bar supports.

13. In a horizontal pianoforte, a sounding board in the form of an obtuse-angled triangle, a sounding-board support, means for mounting 20 the sounding-board thereon so as to have thelrey-board running along that one of its sides which has the obtuse angle contained between it and the side on its left and to have a second side free to vibrate without contact with the 25 sounding-board support, a straight length of case, a straight length or fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the 30 said third side of the triangle and soundingboard bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said soundingboard bar supports.

14. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular 35 sounding-bcard of wood, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon with the key-board running along one of its sides and with a second side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board sup- 6 port, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings, with the strings and the grain lines of the wood of the sounding-board so arranged to extend rearwardly from the keyboard side to one of the other sides of the tri- 45" angle which is straight and which lies at an acute angle to the key-board side, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side or" the sounding-board, sounding board bar 56 supports disposed at the key-board side and the said third side of the triangle, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the soundingboard as tobe received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports. 55

15. A horizontal pianoiorte comprising a case, which is triangular as viewed in plan, a keyboard along one side of the case, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings within the case with the bass strings substantially parallel to 60 and adjacent to a second side of the case, hitch pins along the third side of the case which is straight, a triangular sounding-board having all or" its sides straight, means for mounting the sounding-board within the case so as to have 65 the key-board running along one of its sides and to have another side free to vibrate without contact with the case, a straight length of fillet, means fixing said straight length of fillet to the said third side of the case, means fixing the third 70 side of the sounding-board to said straight length of fillet, sounding-hoard bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the sounding-board, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be re- (5 ceived at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

16. In a horizontal pianoforte, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight, a sounding-board support, means for mounting the sounding-board thereon so as to have the key-board running along one of its sides and to have another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a reinforcing member extending along said free side to stiffen the latter, a straight length of case, a straight length of fillet which is fixed thereto and to which is fixed the third side of the sounding-board, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

17. A horizontal pianoforte comprising a case, a key-board extending along a side thereof, a lid or top hinged to a side other than the key-board side of the case, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings within the case, a triangulalr sounding-board having all of its sides straight, a sounding-board support within the case, means for mounting the sounding-board on said support so as have the key-board running along one of its sides and to have another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of fillet, means fixing said straight length of fillet to a straight length of the case, means fixing the third side of the sounding-board to said straight length of fillet, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the sounding-board, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

18. A horizontal pianoforte comprising a case, a key-board along one side thereof, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings within the case, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight, a sounding-board support which includes a fillet affixed to the said case, means for mounting the sounding-board on the support so as to have the key-board running along one of its sides and to have another side free to vibrate, said fillet being so shaped as to be clear from contact with the sounding-board at the said portion of the contour of the latter which is free to vibrate, a means fixing a straight length of said fillet to a straight length of the case, means fixing the third side of the soundingboard to said straight length of fillet, soundingboard bar supports disposed at the key-board 5 side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

19. A horizontal pianoforte comprising a case, a key-board along a side thereof, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings within the case, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight, a sounding-board support within the case, means for mounting the sounding-board on said support so as to have the keyboard running along one of its sides and to have another side free to vibrate without contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of fillet, means fixing said straight length of fillet to a straight length of the case, means fixing the third side of the sounding-board to said straight length of fillet, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the key-board side and the said fixed side of the triangle and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

20. A horizontal pianoforte comprising a case, a key-board along a side thereof, pianoforte strings, means for mounting said strings within the case, a sounding-board support mounted within the case, a triangular sounding-board having all of its sides straight and having one of its angles slightly truncated, means for mounting the sounding-board on said support so as to have the key-board running along one of its sides which is adjacent to the said truncated angle and to have the side opposite to the said truncated angle and the short length of sounding-board at the truncation left free to vibratewithout contact with the sounding-board support, a straight length of fillet, means fixing said straight length of fillet to a straight length of the case, means fixing the third side of the sounding-board to said straight length of fillet, sounding-board bar supports disposed at the keyboard side and the said fixed side of the triangle, and sounding-board bars so arranged on the sounding-board as to be received at their ends by said sounding-board bar supports.

ALBERT ARTHUR DALE. 

